Harry Potter : Reincarnated as The Greatest Wizard

Tonks eyed him skeptically, then glanced toward the students training nearby. Some of them were standing on wooden stakes, balancing in awkward postures that looked incredibly uncomfortable. "You're telling me you made them like this?" She turned back to him, her brows furrowed in disbelief. "I don't buy it. Why would they listen to you?" 

"Because they don't have a choice." Alex smirked, then raised a whistle to his lips and blew sharply.

Immediately, the training students snapped to attention. Despite their muscles visibly trembling from exertion, they abandoned their stances and rushed over, forming a straight line in front of him. "Prefect!" The six students, led by Jane, stood at perfect attention. Sweat dripped down their faces, their breathing was ragged, but they remained disciplined, their heads slightly bowed in deference.

Alex's expression remained stern. "That's enough stance training for today. Make sure you stretch before bed tonight—don't slack off. Now, go back to Hogwarts and start running!" "Yes, Prefect!" The students' faces showed a flicker of relief before they turned on their heels and sprinted toward the castle, their movements sharp and synchronized.

Tonks watched the whole exchange in stunned silence.'Okay, maybe he wasn't just bluffing.'

"Let's go," Alex said, stretching slightly before turning toward the hut. "It's almost dinnertime. I'll treat you to a meal—we can talk while we eat."

At the mention of food, Tonks immediately perked up. She hopped down from the railing with impressive agility, falling into step beside him. As they reached the small outdoor kitchen, Tonks's sharp eyes took in her surroundings. Against the wall stood a wooden shed, inside which was a masonry-built earthen stove with a massive iron pot sitting atop it. Nearby, a stone counter held a massive log-cutting board, surrounded by bottles and jars of various ingredients she couldn't quite identify. Beyond the kitchen, there was a long, stone-stacked barbecue pit with a sturdy iron grill. It had been cleaned thoroughly, though the faint charred lines hinted at frequent use.

"You know how to cook?" Alex asked, tilting his head. "If so, lend a hand." He gestured toward the barbecue station.

Tonks snorted. "I'm a Hufflepuff." She crossed her arms. "Don't let my age fool you—I'm definitely better at this than some muscle-headed Slytherin like you." Her hair flared bright red in indignation.

Alex chuckled but didn't argue. Instead, he motioned toward the stove. "Good. We're having charcoal-grilled pork chops. First, get some water boiling. I'll handle the prep." With a flick of his wrist, he retrieved a massive slab of Tebo warthog pork from his enchanted storage ring and dropped it onto the cutting board with a heavy thud.

Tonks stared at the sheer size of the meat, momentarily speechless. Then, suspicion flickered in her eyes. "Why are we boiling water? Wouldn't it be easier to just marinate and grill it straight away?"

"Parboiling it first makes the meat softer and juicier," Alex explained as he retrieved his wand, directing the kitchen utensils to move with precise, controlled motions. "We'll prick the ribs on both sides for better absorption, then season with salt, black pepper, pesto, and oregano powder. After that, we simmer it with onions, garlic, bay leaves, and fresh thyme for about thirty minutes. Once that's done, we'll sear it over high heat to lock in the flavors."

As he spoke, he used a Severing Charm to expertly portion the thick ribs, preparing to pierce them for seasoning. But when he glanced at Tonks, he found her staring at him—mouth slightly open, eyes fixed on the meat. "Why are you just standing there?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Get that fire going."

Tonks blinked. "Oh—right. You sound like you know your way around a kitchen. Do you cook often?"

"Not as much these days," Alex admitted as he skillfully handled the pork chops. "But I'm still particular about my food. I set up this kitchen myself, so if you ever feel like cooking, you can use it—just let Hagrid know first."

Tonks curled her lips, unimpressed. 'Is he trying to bribe me with food?' she thought. She still wasn't sure what kind of favor he wanted from her, but the way he was casually offering up his kitchen made her suspicious. "Speaking of which," she said, deciding to prod a little, "why exactly did you bring me here? For the food alone, I might be willing to help, as long as it's not something ridiculous."

Alex smiled. "Actually, I don't need you to do anything complicated. I'm just curious about your Metamorphmagus ability, and I'd like to study it with you."

Tonks frowned slightly. "Study it? But this isn't something I learned—it's just something I was born with. It's like how some people have a knack for the Levitation Charm. Can that even be researched?"

'I happen to be one of those people with a natural talent for Levitation Charms,' Alex thought wryly, but he didn't say it aloud. Instead, he replied, "That's only because you haven't looked at magic from a deeper perspective. Many innate magical abilities have roots in structured spells."

Tonks gave him a wary look. "And what exactly do you want to do?"

"First, I want to draw a little blood," Alex said casually. "Then I can analyze the flow of your magic and see if it's a physical trait or a form of specialized blood magic."

The moment the words left his mouth, Tonks had already taken several steps back. By the time Alex looked up, she had retreated a good seven or eight meters, staring at him like he had just suggested something out of a dark ritual. "You're a total creep," she accused, pointing a finger at him. "You lured me out here, bribed me with food, and now you want my blood? What's next, some kind of black magic experiment?" Her expression hardened, and in one swift motion, she pulled out her wand, pointing it at him defensively. In her eyes, Alex had just gone from 'mildly suspicious Slytherin' to 'full-blown dark wizard.'

Alex let out a laugh, shaking his head. 'She really jumped to the worst possible conclusion, didn't she?' "You've got the wrong idea," he said, raising his hands in mock surrender. "I'm not trying to curse you. The blood test is just to measure your magic reserves—it's a method I developed. There's nothing shady about it."

"I don't believe you." Tonks narrowed her eyes, and her hair instantly turned a deep blue, a clear sign of her suspicion.

Alex sighed. Before he could continue, the commotion had drawn the attention of several students training nearby. Seeing Alex in the kitchen, they quickly finished their exercises and jogged over. "Alex!" Bill called out, eyes gleaming. "What's on the menu today?" As he approached, he noticed Tonks standing a short distance away, wand still raised. He blinked in surprise. "Huh? Aren't you that Hufflepuff who can change her face at will? What, you here for free food too?"

"What do you mean 'free food'?!" Tonks snapped, still on high alert. "Aren't you worried about the dark wizard standing right next to you?"